Chinese scientist facing child porn charge in America said to be under investigation for spying

A Chinese scientist working at a cancer research facility in the United States who was already facing charges for possession of child pornography has now been put under investigation for economic espionage, US broadcaster NBC News reported on Tuesday.

Keping Xie, a 55-year-old researcher at the University of Texas in Houston, is the latest in a string of professionals and academics linked to China’s “Thousand Talents” programme to be investigated by US intelligence officials for spying on behalf of China.